Shredded Chicken

Ingredients:

5 Chicken breasts (with bones)

2 cups chicken broth

2 tsp Italian seasonings

salt and pepper to taste

enough water to cover chicken breasts

Directions:

1)  Spray crock pot with non-stick spray.

2)  Rinse and place chicken breasts in the crock pot.

3)  Add remaining ingredients.

4)  Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours.

5)  Remove chicken from pot and let cool.

6)  Pull the meat off the bones and store it in quart-size freezer bags.  To keep moist, add some chicken broth to the bags.  Use within 7 days or freeze for future use.

Notes:

I use this in chicken salad, enchiladas, quesadillas, and casseroles.  This is great for any recipe which calls for precooked chicken.  It also freezes well!  (For me, 5 chicken breasts gives me 2 one-quart freezer bags.  Each bag is equivalent to 2-2 1/2 cups cooked chicken.)

When boned chicken breasts go on sale for $0.89-0.99/pound, I buy extras and follow the above recipe.  Then I always (usually) have cooked chicken on hand for simple lunches or dinners!

Chicken cooling...

Remaining bones and skin....

Blessings,

     Ellen

This post may be linked to:  Tasty Tuesday Link Party   This Week's Cravings   Hunk of Meat Monday   Delectable Tuesday Totally Tasty Tuesday   Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays   Tasty Tuesdays   Tuesdays at the Table   Hearth and Soul Hop   Tasty Tuesday   Tuesday Night Supper Club   Slightly Indulgent Tuesday   Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday   What's Cooking Wednesday   What's for Dinner?   Foodie Wednesday   Real Food Wednesday   What's On the Menu Wednesday   What's Cooking Wednesday   Full Plate Thursday   Fun with Food Friday   Tuesday Tantalizing Taste   Sweets for a Saturday   What's Cooking Wednesday   What's on Your Plate?   Recipes I Can't Wait to Try   No Whine Wednesday   Savory Sundays   This Chick Cooks   Simply Delish Saturdays   Recipe Sharing Mondays

Spaghetti Sauce... freezer friendly!

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbs olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 1/2 tsp minced garlic
5 - 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 - 12 oz can tomato paste
1 cup water, to preferred consistency
1 tsp salt
1 Tbs parsley flakes
1 1/2 Tbs basil
1/2 Tbs oregano
3/4 -1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

1)  In large skillet, heat olive oil and cook onion and garlic until softened.

2)  While onions and garlic are cooking, place all remaining ingredients in crock pot.

3)  Add onion and garlic to the crock pot and mix well.

4)  Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

Notes:

If you would like to make a meat sauce, brown 2 pounds lean ground beef with the onions and continue as above.  We enjoy Italian sausage, so I'll add 1 pound Italian sausage and 1 pound lean ground beef.  When adding meat to the sauce, drain the fat using a slotted spoon.

If freezing the sauce, let it cool first, then divide it into two 1-gallon freezer bags.  While closing the bags, lay them down and force the air out as you close the bag.  Lay the sealed bags on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer.  After they are frozen, remove the cookie sheet.

* This recipe has been modified from www.lifeasmom.com 's Easy Crockpot Red Sauce.

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Ellen

This post may be linked to:Tasty Tuesday Link Party This Week's Cravings Hunk of Meat Monday Delectable Tuesday Totally Tasty Tuesday Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays Tasty Tuesdays Tuesdays at the Table Hearth and Soul Hop Tasty Tuesday Tuesday Night Supper Club Slightly Indulgent Tuesday Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday What's Cooking Wednesday What's for Dinner? Foodie Wednesday Real Food Wednesday What's On the Menu Wednesday What's Cooking Wednesday Full Plate Thursday Fun with Food Friday Tuesday Tantalizing Taste Sweets for a Saturday What's Cooking Wednesday What's on Your Plate? Recipes I Can't Wait to Try No Whine Wednesday Savory Sundays This Chick Cooks  Simply Delish Saturdays   Recipe Sharing Mondays   Fat Camp Friday

Jambalaya... slow cooker style!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken - cut into 1" cubes
1 lb. andouille sausage or smoked sausage, sliced
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 lb. frozen cooked shrimp

Directions:

1.  In a slow cooker, mix all ingredients except the shrimp.

2.  Cover and cook 7-8 hours on LOW, or 3-4 hours on High.  Stir in the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.

3.  Enjoy!

(serves 6-8)


Note:  We enjoy spicier food, so I increased the Cajun seasoning and the cayenne pepper to 3 teaspoons each.  Also, if you are using smoked sausage, consider adding it half-way through the cooking time.  It becomes soft with too much cooking time.  Since I prefer a thickened sauce, I use corn starch dissolved in warm water to make the "gravy."

This post may be linked to:
Tasty Tuesday Link Party     This Week's Cravings  Hunk of Meat Monday     Delectable Tuesday       Totally Tasty Tuesday     Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays     Tasty Tuesdays      Tuesdays at the Table      Hearth and Soul Hop      Tasty Tuesday      Tuesday Night Supper Club      Slightly Indulgent Tuesday     Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday      What's Cooking Wednesday      What's for Dinner?      Foodie Wednesday      Real Food Wednesday      What's On the Menu Wednesday What's Cooking Wednesday      Full Plate Thursday      Fun with Food Friday      Tuesday Tantalizing Taste      Sweets for a Saturday      What's Cooking Wednesday      What's on Your Plate?      Recipes I Can't Wait to Try      No Whine Wednesday


      

BBQ Pork

Ingredients:

3 lb. boneless pork loin

Barbecue Sauce (We use KC Masterpiece)

8-12 Hamburger buns

Directions:

Spray crock pot with non-stick spray.  Place pork loin in pot and cover lightly with BBQ sauce.  Cook on LOW for 8 hours.  While still in pot, shred pork with 2 forks.  Add more BBQ sauce to taste. 

Great served with fresh coleslaw.

Enjoy!

 

    

This post is linked to: This Week's Cravings      Manic Monday      Hunk of Meat Monday     Delectable Tuesday      Totally Tasty Tuesday      Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays      Tasty Tuesdays      Tuesdays at the Table      Tasty Tuesday      Tuesday Night Supper Club      Slightly Indulgent Tuesday      Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday      Tuesday Twister      Hearth 'n Soul Blog Hop      What's Cooking Wednesday      What's for Dinner?      Foodie Wednesday      What's On the Menu Wednesday      Full Plate Thursday      Fun with Food Friday

Homestyle Crock Pot Beef Stew

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless beef chuck or stew beef

2 cans (14.5 oz each) stewed tomatoes

2 packets (1.5 oz) beef stew seasoning (McCormicks or store brand)

3 medium potatoes, cut up

1 medium onion, cut in wedges

1 lb. baby carrots

4 stalks celery cut into 1/4 inch pieces

Directions:

1.  Spray crock pot with Pam or other non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Mix the stewed tomatoes and beef stew seasoning in a bowl.

3.  Place vegetables in the crock pot first, followed by the meat and tomato mixture.

4.  Cook covered for 8 hours on LOW or 4 hours on high.

5.  Enjoy!

* Note:  Sometimes I will omit the potatoes and serve over cooked noodles.  Great served with a crisp green salad and bread for mopping!

Blessings,

Ellen

This post is linked to:

Delectable Tuesday      Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays      Tasty Tuesdays      Tuesdays at the Table      Tasty Tuesday      Tuesday Night Supper Club      Slightly Indulgent Tuesday      Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday      This Week's Cravings      What's Cooking Wednesday      What's for Dinner?      Full Plate Thursday      Fun with Food Friday

French Dip Roast Beef

4 lb. chuck roast
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 cups water

Sprinkle roast with seasonings and place in crock pot.  Dissolve bouillon cubes in water and add to beef.  Cook on HIGH for 1 hour; reduce heat to LOW.  Continue cooking on LOW for 6 hours longer or until roast is very tender and falls apart.

Serve on hoagie rolls with Provolone cheese and au jus.

Enjoy!

Blessings,

Ellen

This post is linked to:

Delectable Tuesday      Tuesday at the Table      Tuesday Night Supper Club      Tasty Tuesday      Tasty Tuesday      Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays      Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday      Tempt My Tummy Tuesday      Crock Pot Wednesday      What's Cooking Wednesday      Full Plate Thursday      Fun with Food      What's for Dinner?